Setting his sights on engaging Australia: Meet Dan Popping*

One of Australia’s most respected local government Community Engagement specialists sets his sights on professionalising engagement across local government in Australia.

Dan is an Engagement Manager at Bang the Table, where he supports local governments with online engagement initiatives as part of their everyday practice of interacting with their communities.

Dan joined Bang the Table after working with state and local governments in South Australia for over 15 years. Before joining the team, Dan worked at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, South Australia, where he provided strategic advice, support and training to improve the way government involves people in decision-making processes. Prior to this, he was Senior Community Engagement Officer, Adelaide City Council, where he embedded a strong culture of engagement throughout the organisation.

Dan cares passionately about giving people a voice in decisions that affect their everyday lives. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience through the design and delivery of hundreds of engagement projects ranging from strategic planning, policy development and legislative activities.

“What I’ve enjoyed most about my engagement work is sharing my experience with local government organisations to support best practice online engagement across Australia,” says Dan.

He is currently working with the City of Glen Eira to implement their new community engagement strategy using Bang the Table’s digital platform, Engagement HQ.

‘Have Your Say Glen Eira’ provides online opportunities for all local residents and community members to get involved and participate in a wide range of council projects and decisions that impact their everyday lives.

Unique to their engagement strategy is a newly created online Community Voice Panel, where 450 residents have been specifically recruited to represent their broader community’s views on council-wide projects. This online panel provides vital feedback on council-wide projects and strategic decisions to ensure their community is represented, inclusive and heard.

‘Have Your Say Glen Eira’ and the Community Voice Panel provide transparency, a better understanding of diverse community needs, and an innovative exploration of new ideas through our increasing use of digital technologies. See more at ‘Have Your Say Glen Eira’, https://www.haveyoursaygleneira.com.au/

For more information on Engagement HQ, its variety of engagement tools and how local governments and other organisations are using the platform to effectively engage with their respective communities and customers, visit http://www.bangthetable.com/lg-focus.